During appearances on five major television networks on Sunday morning, former President Donald J. Trump’s lawyer, John F. Lauro, made arguments suggesting that Trump’s actions in attempting to overturn the 2020 election were not criminal but rather “aspirational.” Lauro’s statements came as Trump flooded his social media platform, Truth Social, with posts indicating that his legal team would seek the recusal of Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, who is overseeing the case, and attempt to move the trial out of Washington.
Facing charges that could result in decades in prison, as he is the subject of a federal indictment for his role in the election overturn attempt (his third criminal case this year), Trump relied on Lauro to defend him during interviews on CNN, ABC, Fox, NBC, and CBS. Lauro sought to downplay evidence suggesting that Trump, as president, pressured Vice President Mike Pence to reject valid votes for Joseph R. Biden Jr. and instead support false electors pledged to Trump.
Lauro argued, “What President Trump didn’t do is direct Vice President Pence to do anything. He asked him in an aspirational way.”
The same defense was employed by Lauro during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” when discussing Trump’s now-infamous call to Georgia’s secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger. In that call, Trump pressured Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” and suggested that Raffensperger could face criminal consequences if he didn’t comply.
Mr. Lauro’s portrayal of Trump’s approach contradicts key moments outlined in the indictment. Prosecutors state that on January 5, 2021, Trump met privately with Pence, who refused to fulfill Trump’s desires. As a result, the indictment reveals, “the defendant grew frustrated and told the Vice President that the defendant would have to publicly criticize him.” Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, then alerted the head of Pence’s Secret Service detail.
On the same day, following a New York Times article confirming that Pence had indeed informed Trump that he lacked the authority to comply with Trump’s wishes, the former president released a public statement dismissing the report as “fake news.” Additionally, the indictment highlights Trump’s false assertion: “The Vice President and I are in total agreement that the Vice President has the power to act.”
While Lauro made the rounds on all five Sunday news shows, Mr. Trump launched his own campaign on Truth Social. On Saturday, he wrote, “WOW, it’s finally happened! Liddle’ Mike Pence, a man who was about to be ousted as Governor Indiana until I came along and made him V.P., has gone to the Dark Side.” A few days earlier, he criticized Pence, now a potential rival in the 2024 election, for failing to attract crowds or loyalty despite his time in the Trump Administration.
Trump continued, denying that he instructed Pence to prioritize him over the Constitution or that Pence was “too honest.” These attacks followed a judge’s warning to Trump regarding witness intimidation, as well as prosecutors identifying one of Trump’s Truth Social posts as potentially threatening.
On Sunday, Trump escalated his attacks, targeting Jack Smith, the special counsel in the Jan. 6 case, and Representative Nancy Pelosi. Trump called Smith “deranged” and characterized Pelosi as “sick” and “demented.”
Expressing dissatisfaction with the court process, Trump directed his grievances towards Judge Chutkan and the residents of Washington, D.C., asserting that a fair trial would be unattainable.
Meanwhile, Pence has been cautiously criticizing Trump’s actions, repeatedly stating that anyone who puts themselves above the Constitution shouldn’t be president. He reiterated these sentiments on CNN and CBS following Lauro’s appearances.
In conclusion, former President Trump’s lawyer, John F. Lauro, has argued that Trump’s efforts to overturn the election were merely “aspirational,” rather than criminal. This comes as Trump aggressively promotes his own narrative on Truth Social, attacking opponents and expressing dissatisfaction with the legal proceedings. Pence, on the other hand, has distanced himself from Trump’s actions, emphasizing his commitment to upholding the Constitution.
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